bring Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
    take; convey.
    • Bring me the box from the other room
    • Take these letters to the boss
    • This brings me to the main point
  2. verb cause to come into a particular state or condition
    • Long hard years of on the job training had brought them to their competence
    • bring water to the boiling point
  3. verb cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
    play; work; wreak; make for.
    • I cannot work a miracle
    • wreak havoc
    • bring comments
    • play a joke
    • The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area
  4. verb go or come after and bring or take back
    fetch; convey; get.
    • Get me those books over there, please
    • Could you bring the wine?
    • The dog fetched the hat
  5. verb bring into a different state
    land.
    • this may land you in jail
  6. verb be accompanied by
    • Can I bring my cousin to the dinner?
  7. verb advance or set forth in court
    institute.
    • bring charges", "institute proceedings
  8. verb bestow a quality on
    lend; contribute; add; bestow; impart.
    • Her presence lends a certain cachet to the company
    • The music added a lot to the play
    • She brings a special atmosphere to our meetings
    • This adds a light note to the program
  9. verb be sold for a certain price
    fetch; bring in.
    • The painting brought $10,000
    • The old print fetched a high price at the auction
  10. verb attract the attention of
    • The noise and the screaming brought the curious
  11. verb induce or persuade
    • The confession of one of the accused brought the others to admit to the crime as well

WordNet

Bring transitive verb
Etymology
OE. bringen, AS. bringan; akin to OS. brengian, D. brengen, Fries. brenga, OHG. bringan, G. bringen, Goth. briggan.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Brought present participle & verbal noun Bringing
Definitions
  1. To convey to the place where the speaker is or is to be; to bear from a more distant to a nearer place; to fetch.
    And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread. 1 Kings xvii. 11.
    To France shall we convey you safe, And bring you back. Shak.
  2. To cause the accession or obtaining of; to procure; to make to come; to produce; to draw to.
    There is nothing will bring you more honor . . . than to do what right in justice you may. Bacon.
  3. To convey; to move; to carry or conduct.
    In distillation, the water . . . brings over with it some part of the oil of vitriol. Sir I. Newton.
  4. To persuade; to induce; to draw; to lead; to guide.
    It seems so preposterous a thing . . . that they do not easily bring themselves to it. Locke.
    The nature of the things . . . would not suffer him to think otherwise, how, or whensoever, he is brought to reflect on them. Locke.
  5. To produce in exchange; to sell for; to fetch; as, what does coal bring per ton? Syn. -- To fetch; bear; carry; convey; transport; import; procure; produce; cause; adduce; induce.

Webster 1913